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Freight

Clean Corridors Meeting

Dear Partners,

On behalf of the Meeting Hosts, thank you for joining us at RPI in Troy, New York for the first-ever Clean Corridors Meeting on November 3 & 4. Over 160 participants from the Northeast and beyond came together to discuss opportunities to collaborate on developing clean, sustainable freight and passenger corridors. We had great representation across states, agencies, disciplines, and sectors. Panelists provided succinct and stimulating presentations on key perspectives & issues. Participants rolled up their sleeves and debated openly on how to make progress toward our common vision of providing the multi-faceted fueling, charging and layover infrastructure needed to reduce emissions, enhance energy security, and stimulate the adoption of clean vehicle technologies. Throughout the meeting, it was clear that partners want to continue this collaboration into 2017 and beyond.

We are finalizing the meeting notes, presentations, and photos and will make them available to you over the next two weeks. The Cadmus Group and Atlas Policy team will soon provide tools to support state Dots' efforts to plan and implement clean corridors. We will offer all meeting participants and stakeholders a webinar in December to review lessons learned and discuss next steps to move this initiative forward.

Federal Regulations

Clean Diesel
Trucks and Buses Rule: The Clean Diesel Trucks and Buses Rule sets more stringent emissions standards for on-road diesel vehicles beginning with those manufactured in 2007. The Rule will be fully implemented by 2010. The rules require clean diesel fuel with a sulfur content capped at 15 parts per million and the use of advanced emission control technology. Exhaust emissions from these vehicles will decrease by more than 90 percent. While cleaner fuel will reduce emissions from all diesel vehicles, the new emission standards only affect newly manufactured on-road diesel vehicles, so the full benefits of these regulations will not be realized for years to come.

Emissions Standards
for Locomotives: In 2008, EPA finalized a new set of more stringent emission limits for locomotives, to be phased in over the next decade, which will result in locomotive engines that are 90% cleaner than today. This new rule also requires remanufactured locomotive engines to meet more stringent emissions standards than they were required to meet at the time of original manufacture.

FHWA Talking Freight Seminar Series

The U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration hosts monthly net-conference seminars to provide a convenient and no-cost way for transportation practitioners to broaden their freight knowledge base and develop new skills to help them do their jobs better. Visit http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/freightplanning/talking.htm to register for upcoming sessions and see/hear recordings of previous seminars.

Related Resources

Best Practices Guidebook for Greenhouse Gas Reductions in Freight Transportation
Freight transportation accounts for approximately 9% of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the United States. This report for the US Department of Transportation surveys 59 potential best practices for reducing energy use and GHG emissions in freight transportation. A presentation based on this report can be found here.

Smartway Transport Partnership

The SmartWaySM Transport Partnership is a voluntary collaboration between US EPA and the freight industry designed to conserve fuel while significantly reducing greenhouse gases and other air pollutants. Companies that provide or hire freight delivery and logistics services can become SmartWay Transport partners. EPA helps partners calculate their current environmental performance, set improvement goals, understand fuel-saving strategies and technologies, calculate cost savings, and win industry and public recognition. SmartWay also verifies the performance of fuel-saving technologies, certifies trucks and trailers with energy-saving features, and offers a variety of financing opportunities.

Currently over 2000 shippers, carriers, logistics providers, and affiliates participate in the Partnership, including hundreds in Canada. SmartWay is quickly expanding its international reach and developing new tools to help shippers analyze their carbon reduction options more accurately within and across all modes in their "supply chain" (truck, rail, port drayage, marine, etc.).

EPA Regions 1 and 2 are active in SmartWay, both recruiting and supporting partners. New in 2009 are cooperative agreements, one in both Regions 1 and 2, with Cascade Sierra Solutions to provide rebates for truck & trailer upgrades.